After receiving the item as a gift more than 20 years ago, Esperance man Tom Reimers will travel 6,700 kilometres to return a 40-year-old silk mat belonging to the Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India.
The mat was purchased for Mr Reimers by his daughter at an auction in Bunbury and brought to Esperance as a Christmas present.
Both Tom and Jean Reimers have had the piece ever since, rolled up at home to keep it out of the elements and ensure it remained well-preserved.
Mr Reimers said he had corresponded with a number of people over the years in a bid to reunite the mat with its rightful owner.
Unfortunately, Mr Reimers experienced little success until recently.
“It’s quite unbelievable that it got here and nobody can figure out how,” he said.
“I’ve corresponded with a nephew of Rajasabai two or three times, letters backwards and forwards.
“For some reason, that seemed to fall by the wayside.
“Then, around 18 months ago, I googled it and it came up with the email address of one of the members of that lodge.
“They would very much like to have it back and I believe it should go back.”
Based on the information provided to Mr Reimers by the correspondents, it is believed there were three mats made – each half silk and half cotton and produced in Bhavani, also known as “Carpet City”.
It was Mrs Reimers who suggested the pair make the trip with their two daughters to take the mat back to India.
“Jean said ‘Well, why don’t we take it back?’,” Mr Reimers said.
“We’re not real good at organising ourselves travelling so we’re taking our two daughters with us.
“They’re leading us but we’re taking them.
“I’ve been a freemason myself for a good 47 years.
“To me it is special and I always thought that, one day when I die, it should go back to India.
“Why wait until I die? I’m only 83, why should I worry about age?
“I’ll take it back!”
The pair will depart for India in January, flying into Singapore before Chennai in Eastern India and taking the train to Madurai where they will attend a meeting of the lodge that the mat will return to.
Mr Reimers will attend to represent WA at the meeting and hand over the mat.
Having travelled a large portion of Europe and throughout New Zealand and Australia, the pair said it would be a different experience.
“It’s going to be an adventure,” Mrs Reimers said.
“There is a festival on whilst we’re there, too.
“We’re ready for anything.”